Mark 6:1-6

[snapstur]

@Shield> then let's pray

@Shield> who would like to lead out?

LoOkOuT> I can

@Shield> go for it

LoOkOuT> Dear Father we thank you for all you do for us and for your word Lord bless this word shield has to share with us which you have give him and help us in understanding and applying it to our lives in Jesus name I pray Amen

@Shield> amen!

Snapstur> Amen

@Shield> This has been quite an adventure, going through the Gospel of Mark

GentleDove> amen

@Shield> If you have been with us over the weeks, you know that we have attempted to read through Mark, letting the text speak for itself on its terms

@Shield> Last week our friend Bethel did a great job bringing us to the end of chapter five

@Shield> where Jesus healed the little girl.

@Shield> it was an astonishing miracle, to put it mildly

@Shield> and tonight we jump into the first few verses of Mark 6

@Shield> let's read them together

@Shield> Mark 6:1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples.

@Shield> 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!

@Shield> 3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

@Shield> Let's pause there for a moment...

@Shield> Join me, in trying to place yourselves in that scene...

@Shield> Jesus' renown was now going before him into all the lands.

@Shield> Word of his miracles traveled fast.

@Shield> Amazement spread far and wide.

@Shield> The people perceived him on many levels, as we have seen in previous weeks.

@Shield> but here, in his hometown, we encounter a completely different perspective of Jesus from the eyes of the town's inhabitants.

@Shield> Let me ask a couple of questions of you....

@Shield> where was Jesus' home town?

@Shield> anyone know?

Carol> o/

@Shield> yes Carol?

Carol> Nazareth

@Shield> yes, exactly

@Shield> how many of you grew up mostly, if not entirely, in one town?

@Shield> anyone?

EarthAngel> yes

Snapstur> o/

GentleDove> o/

nitadancing> yep

@Shield> I grew up mostly in one town from the age of 6 to about 16

MissRolo nods

@Shield> it was and is a small town

LoOkOuT> o/

@Shield> I remember the first stop light they installed

@Shield> quite a celebration

@Shield> I remember the town parade every year

@Shield> I remember the schools I attended

@Shield> grade school, jr high, high school

@Shield> and I remember the people

@Shield> many of them remain there to this day

@Shield> they knew me when I was a kid who loved to play in the mud, hunt and fish in the wilderness to the north of town

@Shield> they knew me when I used to ride my bike all over the neighborhood, and come home slightly worse for wear due to varied stunts, before the days of helmets and pads

@Shield> they knew me as a shy kid, keeping mostly to myself

@Shield> to this day, some of them would scoff at the notion that I would be here sharing with you folks, even in this venue.

MissRolo> :)

@Shield> Some of them did not expect me to live much past 18

@Shield> imagine....

@Shield> as Jesus entered his home town, Nazareth

@Shield> he grew up there

@Shield> he played, he learned a trade, he engaged in life with family

@Shield> of course, family did not simply mean dad, mom and siblings

@Shield> it meant all the other relatives

@Shield> and it meant the acquaintances down the street

@Shield> they all knew each other

@Shield> closing themselves behind gated communities and tall fences was unheard of in that part of the world in his day, as it is in much of that part of the world today

@Shield> they knew Jesus as being just a normal kid

@Shield> growing up to be a normal young man

@Shield> oh...

@Shield> his mom had some inklings over the years

@Shield> first with the announcement of his birth

@Shield> his encounter at the age of 12 with the teachers of the law

@Shield> She knew God had something special planned for him, and she bore it down deeply

@Shield> but here we find Jesus reentering his home town

@Shield> surely they would give him the proverbial key to the city right?

@Shield> surely they would have a parade for him

@Shield> surely they would dance in the streets that their home town boy was back, doing miracles because he is the Son of God....

@Shield> right?

@Shield> .....

@Shield> let's read it together

@Shield> 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. "Where did this man get these things?" they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles!

@Shield> there was an incredulity

@Shield> as if...

@Shield> who does he think he is?

@Shield> 3 Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

@Shield> let that sink in....

@Shield> these were not the Pharisees saying these things

@Shield> these were not the crowds who had been incited to speak out by the religious authorities

@Shield> these were Jesus' former neighbors

@Shield> the kids whom he played with

@Shield> the neighbors who watched him grow

believer> o/

@Shield> who did business with him when he practiced as a carpenter

@Shield> yes believer?

believer> where we studying

@Shield> Mark 6

believer> tnks

@Shield> 4 Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor."

@Shield> 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.

@Shield> 6 And he was amazed at their lack of faith. Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village.

@Shield> In Nazareth, Jesus was given no honor.

@Shield> in his hometown

@Shield> their familiarity with him caused them to doubt who he was revealed to be

@Shield> the Son of God

@Shield> their familiarity with him caused them to scoff at the notion that he was exactly who he said he was

@Shield> the Song of Man, the Son of God

@Shield> if that sort of doubt could take root in the hearts of those closest to Jesus

@Shield> then we should be vigilant against the possibility it could also take root in ours.

@Shield> In Evangelicalism we tend to paint a particular picture of Jesus’ nature.

@Shield> Soft pastel colors, with flowers and daisies and children looking wonderingly into his eyes as his carefully feathered hair blows in the wind.

@Shield> Sorry folks, that just isn’t reality

@Shield> Yes, Jesus was and is gentle.

@Shield> But he also was and is the Creator of the Universe.

@Shield> the I AM

@Shield> the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

@Shield> if we paint Jesus into a singular corner in terms of his work and character, then we, like the people of Nazareth in his day, run the risk of doubting the fullness of his character and work.

@Shield> Jesus is our Advocate, but he is also our Judge

@Shield> he comforts, but he also intervenes dramatically, according to his purposes

@Shield> yes, he does miracles, notwithstanding the views of my secessionist friends

@Shield> any questions, comments?

@Shield> sorry, cessationist is the correct spelling

@Shield> then let's pray

@Shield> Father, thank you for this day and for all you are doing in our lives.

@Shield> May we not take for granted the person and work of your Son Jesus

LoOkOuT> yes Lord

@Shield> May we not paint him into an unrealistic corner based on our cultural preferences.

@Shield> but may we begin to glimpse him, through your Word, as he really is.

@Shield> in Jesus name amen

Snapstur> Amen

GentleDove> amen

Tigre_blanc> Amen

LoOkOuT> help our eyes be ever open and give us understanding Amen

believer> amen

Carol> amen

MissRolo> amen!:)